Unofficial Picture: Range Rover Evoque Convertible Concept

Many people thought the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet was a fluke, but it could actually signal the beginning of a crossover convertible trend. Land Rover is using the Geneva auto show to roll out a droptop Evoque concept. Rendered in a charcoal hue with 21-inch wheels and a two-tone, ivory-and-gray four-seat interior, the right-hand-drive Range Rover concept can be seen as the masculine yang to Nissan’s feminine yin.

The Evoque convertible concept is based on the Evoque coupe (i.e., the three-door version) and features a fabric top, a drop-down tailgate, pop-up rollover protection, and, of course, Land Rover’s Terrain Response system. The concept also includes an eight-inch touch screen in the center stack, a Meridian audio system, and surround-view cameras.

Land Rover claims that the roof-ectomy was achieved with “minimal changes to weight and torsional rigidity,” both big challenges for chop jobs like this. Most companies wouldn’t make those points about something they didn’t plan to actually produce. Indeed, close inspection of the car reveals details that suggest this is less a concept car than a production-intent prototype, including flaps ahead of the tonneau cover to accommodate the top structure, front-seatbelt anchor points, and even the split-folding rear seatback. Certainly, it is further developed than the DC100 concepts that Land Rover has been floating around recently.